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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · net · wax · current · can · vault · ruler · mine

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mine — for digging
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. current — electric
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. current — happening now
  7. rash — hasty
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. rash — a series
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. current — of water
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. can — a tin
  18. net — after costs
  19. vault — a safe
  20. net — for catching
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. net — in sport
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com